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Varying Opinions on Where LSU Football's Terrace Marshall Could Land in 2021 NFL Draft

Marshall could fall in first or second round during April's draft as analysts are split on where he could land

Terrace Marshall was one of the most efficient receivers for the Tigers over the last two years. Despite missing six games over his final two seasons in Baton Rouge, Marshall became as dominant a red zone threat as any other over that stretch, recording 23 touchdowns in 19 appearances. 

Those 23 scores fell just three short of the LSU record, still held by Dwayne Bowe but even more impressive, he brought in 94 receptions over his final two years. That means that just about every fourth catch of Marshall's collegiate career was going for a touchdown. 

He was among the most dominant receivers over the first six weeks of the 2020 season but elected to opt out of the Tigers final three games to focus on preparing for the 2021 draft. Now analysts are split on just where Marshall could land, particularly because the NFL combine will not conduct in-person workouts ahead of the draft. 

ESPN's Todd McShay is very high on Marshall's talent as he has the Tigers' receiver landing No. 31 overall to the Green Bay Packers.

"Marshall (who opted out halfway through the 2020 season) can come down with balls in traffic and tack on big yards after the catch," McShay wrote.

The Draft Network recently had Marshall landing with the Detroit Lions at No. 21 overall. But there are some skeptics out there who don't beleive Marshall is in that upper echelon of receivers in the class. 

For example, Pro Football Focus just dropped its top five receivers of the 2021 draft class and while teammate Ja'Marr Chase was No. 1 on the list, Marshall was nowhere to be found. That's not to say that more than five receivers can't be selected in the first round but there are very clearly some draft analysts who percieve Marshall as a second round draft choice. 

The Athletic's Dane Brugler also just released his top 100 prospects in the 2021 class and Marshall came in at No. 44 overall, comparing him to Denver's Courtland Sutton. 

Marshall has the build-up acceleration to eat cushion without breaking stride, and he looks like a basketball big man at the catch point, using body position and catch radius to reel in off-target throws. Similar in ways to Courtland Sutton as a prospect, he tends to rely on his size/speed and needs to hone his urgency and route mechanics for the next level.

It appears evident that Chase is well in the top 10 conversation but there is less certainty about Marshall, who could very well be a first round pick but being a second round pick doesn't appear to be out of the question either.